‘Preserve sanctity of religious places’

A draft law on criminalising contempt of religions was discussed at cabinet meet   

Manama

 The cabinet session, chaired by Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa yesterday, discussed putting forward regulations to maintain the sanctity of the religious platforms.  A memorandum presented by the Minister of Interior also highlighted about religious platforms distancing from inciting political rhetoric that causes divisions among citizens, ignites tension and conflicts.

 The Interior and Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministries were then requested to submit the necessary recommendations in this regard.

 A draft law on criminalising contempt of religions, such as insulting divinity, defaming divine books, prophets, Allah’s Messengers, as well as their wives or companions, and any hate and sectarian discourse that undermines national unity, differentiates between individuals or groups on the basis of religion, creed or sect and triggers conflict between individuals or groups, was also discussed.

 The bill was presented in the memorandum submitted by the Interior Minister, and was referred to the Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs for further study.

 The session also discussed the ratification of a number of Arab conventions. They include the Arab Convention for Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, the Arab Anti-Corruption Convention, the Arab Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, the Arab Convention for the Transfer of Inmates at Penal and Correctional Institutions within the framework of implementing the penal codes and the Arab Convention to Combat Cyber Crimes.

 The Ministerial Committee for Legal Affairs was requested to study the legal procedures required for ratifying the conventions highlighted in the memorandum presented by the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister.

 Food prices

 HRH Premier issued directives to the Ministry of Industry and Commerce to monitor and follow-up on the prices of goods and foodstuff to ensure any manipulation.

 While discussing the prices of foodstuff, he also shared concerns about the negative impacts on the citizens’ purchasing power, especially amid the regional and international situation and the weather conditions that affected prices regionally and globally.

 French connection

 The session approved the International Framework Agreement signed between the Interior Ministry in Bahrain and the relevant sides in France concerning the National Central Ambulance Project, following the memorandum presented by the Interior Minister in this regard.

 A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Government of Bahrain and the French France Expertise Internationale (FEI) company to implement the Bahraini-French Urban Planning Project, highlighted in the memorandum presented by the Foreign Affairs Minister, was approved.

 The cabinet also endorsed two MoUs signed between the Ministry of Information Affairs in Bahrain and both the French Journalists Training Centre (CFJ) and the National Institute for Audio-Visual Media (INA). The MoUs were presented by the Information Affairs Minister.